Legality of cutting down a barrel

[77REBELBOWTIE]

I'm sure this has been covered somewhere before, but I couldn't find it.

If I purchase a 16" barreled upper, can I cut the barrel down and place it on a pistol lower? I was thinking of building my own pistol uppers.

 

[NWSharpshooter]

Yes. An upper is just parts and you can do whatever you want with it. Do not cut that barrel unless you either have a pistol lower, or do not have any lowers at all though.

 

[77REBELBOWTIE]

I have more than a couple stripped lowers.

 

[ga_trucklvr]

I don't think stripped lowers would be an issue. But if you have a functional lower, do not have a short barrel upper around without a complete pistol lower. Seems that the ATF will interpret that to mean you plan on making a SBR, whether you do or not does not matter.

 

[CherryCola]

Alls a pistol lower is a "virgin" lower that NEVER had a stock on it. Which means if you have a stripped lower you'll be fine. Just make sure you don't have a stock laying around without a completed rifle. Then you can claim that stock is a spare part of the rifle. In reality if an ATF agent is at your house to begin with.. Expect to be in a lot of trouble anyway. Whether you fit any exceptions or not is irrelevant at that point.

 

[Clearance_Clarence]

It's not that easy........chopping a 16 inch down to anything shorter than about 10.5 is going to require you to drill a new gas hole and probably turn the barrel down in diameter for a gas block to properly fit.

 

[dial1911]

Just don't go making any pistol uppers for sale without a license... I have nothing to prove that would be a problem, but my gut feeling sure doesn't like the idea.

 

[77REBELBOWTIE]

The machining is major an issue. Just wanted to be sure there wouldn't be any legal issues. If I build it and decide I want something different, I should be able to sell it without a problem, correct?

 

[Clearance_Clarence]

The machining is major an issue. Just wanted to be sure there wouldn't be any legal issues. If I build it and decide I want something different, I should be able to sell it without a problem, correct?

Highly doubt it.....You have a home build upper......home built rifles don't sell well....

 

[77REBELBOWTIE]

Highly doubt it.....You have a home build upper......home built rifles don't sell well....

Just want to be legal. A lot of people down this way would by one if it functions properly.